


Aching

by RobinPlaysTrumpet15



Series: Obi-Wan "The Therapist" Kenobi and How He Changed Everything [20]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, CT-7567 | Rex Needs a Hug, Depression, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Not Eating, POV CT-7567 | Rex, Post-Episode: s04e13 Escape From Kadavo, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-06-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:21:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RobinPlaysTrumpet15/pseuds/RobinPlaysTrumpet15
Summary: Rex is just tired. It's not a big deal.
Series: Obi-Wan "The Therapist" Kenobi and How He Changed Everything [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1584874
Comments: 25
Kudos: 424





	Aching

**Author's Note:**

> Not a whole lot to say here. This little installment is heavily influenced by my own feelings and experiences, so there's that.
> 
> **Warning:** heavy themes of depression and mental health issues

Some days, Rex woke up and everything _ached_. His head felt fuzzy, but his whole body was one big sore. His joints were tight, his muscles screamed for him not to get up.

Usually, he woke up hungry, but not these days. He woke up, telling himself he’d eat when midday meal came around. Sometimes he would, and sometimes he wouldn’t. It just depended.

This time, his right wrist was protesting his gauntlet. His stomach and its lack of breakfast was oddly quiet, which was a blessing at least. Rex’s lower back, though, felt awful. He just wanted to lay back down in his bunk and sleep forever. And if he woke up mid-afternoon, then who really cared?

But he couldn’t do that. He was Captain Rex of the 501st Legion. He was General Skywalker’s right hand man and the commanding officer of the elite Torrent Company. He had men looking to him, both for orders and leadership, but also because he was their _ori’vod_.

Rex was the older brother, the ARC trooper, who always knew what to do. He always had a plan and he would always be there to keep his brothers as safe as he could.

Rex was trying really hard to not let onto the fact he no longer had a plan.

_Gold eyes flashed at him, seemingly a million degrees and absolute zero at the same time._

_Obi-Wan would never hurt him, Rex knew._

_But he was scary like this, anyway._

He shook himself, almost literally, out of the memory. His brain still felt fuzzy and no good, coherent thoughts came, but he shoved on his helmet and left his room anyway.

He had duties to attend to.

*

Damn Kix and Fives for being so damn observant. People didn’t tend to think it of Fives, but that was just because of the way he acted. After all, he was an ARC trooper, and you didn’t get that way by being unobservant.

Rex avoided the other ARC and their head medic a bit like they were the plague. Kix could sniff out a brother who wasn’t feeling right several klicks away. And Fives knew Rex almost like the back of his own hand.

They could tell something was wrong. He knew it. They’d been watching him like shriek hawks since the day he’d set foot on the _Resolute_ after Kadavo.

So Rex took deep breaths, kept busy, and did his best to keep them busy as well.

And when midday meal came around, he really did try to eat. But the more he ate, the less there was for the _vode_. So he took just a few bites, then handed the rest of his tray off to a group of not-quite-shinies. They lit up like twinkle lights on Life Day, (not that Rex had experienced that, but he figured it looked as good as this) so he didn’t feel at all bad for not getting the “proper nutrients”.

Kix would surely kick his ass if he ever found out.

Rex promised the _vod’ike_ to secrecy, and in response they all mimed zipping their lips closed. He patted the closest one on the shoulder with a good natured smile then turned to leave the mess.

He felt a hunk of ice freeze solid where his stomach should have been when his eyes locked with Fives.

The expression on the other ARC told him everything Rex needed to know. He’d seen that, and he knew Rex hadn’t eaten that morning either.

The captain hurried from the mess, aching all over and feeling numb down in his fingers and toes.

Fives was definitely getting a long assignment that afternoon.

Rex kept his helmet on the rest of the day and ignored the way his stomach didn’t growl. He felt hollow and empty, but if his stomach wasn’t complaining, he figured he was fine.

Later, he would send off a quick message to Obi-Wan, checking in. He’d get one back equally as quickly, proclaiming that he was as alright as he could be. The Jedi thanked Rex for checking in and asked how Rex was as well. Rex didn’t lie, but he wasn’t sure he’d actually told the truth.

They talked for a little while, about everything and nothing.

And when he went to sleep that night, Rex found himself almost missing having a body between him and the wall. Someone to protect. Someone to watch his own back.

He was glad Obi-Wan was back where he belonged. Rex knew that Cody was also glad to have his partner back, and Rex was happy that a member of his _aliit_ was back home where he was safe and cared for.

But that didn’t mean Rex slept any better for it.

He ignored that feeling, too.

With a sigh and knowing he wouldn’t sleep for hours yet, he turned over, closed his eyes, and pretended he would be asleep any minute.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this installment. If you have ideas for things you'd like to see in this series, let me know. I love to hear your ideas. Thanks for reading.


End file.
